Lovely layers of intrigue, but the whole chapter was spoiled for me by one thing. The presence of the "President of the United States" in this narrative is a jolt to the setting, taking me out of the "magical British boarding school" and into the realm of "world reinterpreted by an American" so fast that it hurt. Part of the charm of Doctor Who, Harry Potter or any British fiction is a world predicated on British thought, and not the American culture so pervasive it doesn't notice itself.

While I'm not going to assume that elections for the Minister of Magic work the way election of the Prime Minister does in our world, you seem to have assumed it works the way it does in the US for the President. In Britain the only people who votes for Prime Ministerial candidates are the ones in the PM's own constituency. It's cute when the Hogwarts word works exactly like the British one with a little magic twist. It's weird when it's rewired for no reason.

This is another chapter that had me hooting with laughter. Fortunately the husband and roommate weren't home from work yet, so I didn't have to explain why I sounded like a finalist in the Wicked Witch of The West Cackling Contest.

For those who don't or can't appreciate judiciously and bloody well-done songs in fanfic, they can suck a large rotten egg. Through a straw. Up their nose.

I am trying to figure out if LV possesses Quirrel in this story. There are many changes: Scabbers was a rat, Sirius was a traitor, Petunia married soemone decent. Oh, Narcissa is dead, Bella is not married. Also, Quirrel is not wearing turban, Harry's scar does not hurt in his presence.

On the other hand, we know that the canon LV was very patient and laid in waiting for a year to retrieve the prophecy. Perhaps Quirrel is also trying to get a measure of Harry, by pushing him all the time. Know your enemy and all that.

Quirrel asked Harry once where would he hide items if noone meant to find them (looking to relocate the horcruxes, perhaps?). Their magics are incompatible, but I remember LV landing a Cruciatus on Harry (albeit after the ritual).

The jury is still out for Quirrel.

Avi chapter 22 . 2/3/2011

I love how you're making science exotic and mysterious against the background of ordinary magic.